


i've loved you for many years

by heronlibra



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: M/M, Marriage, Other, Pining, sfw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-09
Updated: 2019-10-24
Packaged: 2020-06-25 03:55:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19737808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heronlibra/pseuds/heronlibra
Summary: and i bet i'll love you even longer. tibarn and reyson want to get married! they think about the times they've known each other and i do a lot of canon twisting since there's so little on them. fic commissioned by a friend!





	1. when we first met

**Author's Note:**

> am i taking liberties on tibarn and reyson's childhoods? yes i am. thank you.

“We should elope.”

The night is quiet when Tibarn asks for the first time, with the stars overhead and Reyson curled against his right side, wings tucked in. The Heron Prince blushes and pats his bicep, shaking his head a little. Tibarn always smells like the ocean and the sun, like summertime kissed his cheeks as a child and the scent always lingered. Reyson traces the scar running along the hawk king’s chest and frowns deeply, remembering the day that the bigger man returned home in stitches. 

“You and I both know we can’t do that. What would the council say if the king of Phoenicis ran away with the prince of a country ravaged by Beorc?”

The hawk sighs, and Reyson feels the rumble in his own chest. Tibarn’s arm squeezes his shoulders so carefully, as he didn’t want to break anything of the prince’s … this time. He turns his head to look at the Heron, right into his emerald eyes. Reyson’s already fast pulse quickens and his ears blush red, as they always did when Tibarn gave him that look, when he could feel the love pouring from his heart. 

“Who gives a damn what they say? You’re the only person I ever wanna marry, Reyson.”

“Oh, Tibarn …”

A kiss is pressed against the hawk king’s cheek, gentle and soft, but sincere and happy. It makes  _ Tibarn’s _ face heat up, and his wings fluff out as they’re curved around the duo laying in the tent. They hadn’t gotten together until after the tragedy of Serenes forest, but Tibarn and Reyson both could pinpoint the exact moment they fell in love with one another. For Tibarn, it was when they were young. Originally, he was meant to marry Leanne, and she hated everything about her father’s plans to marry her off to the king of Phoenicis. Reyson had appeared to challenge Tibarn in order to win his sister’s freedom and ultimately, one hit to the chest was all it took to shatter his hand and shoulder bones completely. But he had admired the guts it took to stand up to someone bigger and stronger than him, even if his efforts were in vain. 

And for Reyson, his spark of adoration had started much younger than that. They were but hatchlings with wings still fluffy from youth, and they had no idea what was to come.

* * *

_ “No! I’m not going to do anything I don’t want to do!” _

Reyson stomps his foot in the grass, making Rafiel shrink back instinctually from his brother’s tantrums. 

__ _ “Very well, Reyson. I won’t make you go and get your hair trimmed. Mama will … understand … probably. _ ” Though young, Rafiel’s curled hair already fell to his shoulders and just a little past his wings. Reyson wanted his hair to look just like his brother’s, and so he’d curled his hair that morning and cried when the curls flattened out. Try as he might, his hair was much too straight and smooth to ever curl like Rafiel’s. The older Heron prince picks up his brother and holds him on his hip, smiling serenely. Reyson’s green eyes sparkled just a little as he reached up, placing a small hand on his brother’s cheek and asking,

_ “Rafiel, do we have to do anything else today?” _

__ _ “I don’t believe so, no. Why, is there something you want to do?” _

_ “I wanna go to the meadow and you can help me make more hairpins for mama!” _ He chirps, and Rafiel can’t keep his smile away. 

_ “Then that is what we will do, just you and I. But first, I must tell dad where we are going. Wait for me here, okay? You’ll be fine in the trees by yourself until I get back.” _

_ “Okay!” _

Rafiel sets Reyson on his feet and runs a hand through his brother’s hair, kissing his forehead before taking flight towards Serenes’ capital, so to speak. They never went far from home, mostly because Rafiel feared meeting the Beorc, the Ravens, the Hawks, the Cats, the outsiders. And Reyson himself was far too young to understand the danger inherent in men, the lies they told, and the money they would bargain to have their own young heron prince as a sick trophy to display to the world. He wouldn’t understand that someone would want to hurt him, or even take him from home. And that was what worried Rafiel the most, combined with how young Reyson was. 

Young Reyson’s thoughts are much less complex. He hums to himself and hops about the grass, looking for acorns or even caterpillars at the bases of trees, where the flowers grew and they liked to crawl about the stems and eat themselves still. But much to his surprise, he doesn’t find any  _ caterpillars _ laying under the shade today. Instead, he happens upon a young boy with brown wings curled over himself, fast asleep in the grass, a big and bloodied scratch on his arm. He squacks in surprise, jumping back and waking the stranger up. He sits up and yawns, rubbing his tired eyes and opening them slowly.

The stranger was a boy with a bigger body, chubby cheeks, long wings, and messy brown hair that stuck out every which way. On his head was a little orange bandana, which kept his bangs out of his eyes. “Huh? Hey, hello?”

Reyson tensed up, peeking out from behind a tree to look at the other boy in the forest with him. What was a hawk doing in Serenes forest? And his wings were still splattered with white, meaning he hadn’t molted or grown his adult feathers yet. His eyes looked the stranger up and down, noting his long brown tunic and the rough black pants. Yeah, there’s no way that this person was anything  _ but _ a Hawk.

“Who … you?”

His common wasn’t very good, but it made the strange boy smile anyways, and Reyson felt his heart thump faster. Something about the toothy grin was … endearing.

“I’m Tibarn! I’m from Phoenicis … oh, shoot! Pops! I had to land here a bit to rest, my old man’s gonna be really worried about me!”

Reyson nodded in understanding.

“I .. Reyson.”

“Reyson? That’s a pretty name. It sounds like the prince’s!”

“Am Prince. Of Serenes.”

“R-really?! Wow, hi, Your highness! Sorry, but … I gotta run … I know, here!”

Tibarn reaches against his brown wings and plucks a feather from them, holding it out to his new friend. It’s speckled white and the end is still downy from being a hatchling’s feather, but that only makes Reyson seem to like it more … 

“... trade?” He asks, reaching back to his own wing, and plucking one downy, pure white feather from his own wings. A blush forms on the hawk’s brown, chubby cheeks as he takes the feather from the Heron prince before him.

“I’ll see you again, Reyson!”

With a magnificent sparkle of light, Tibarn transforms into his hawk form and takes to the skies. Reyson stands near the trees, staring and staring until he can no longer see the brown speck against the blue sky. The one fated moment that brought them together would stay in the Heron’s memories forever, even if Tibarn eventually forgot. Rafiel returns soon after the future hawk king had left, looking about and seeing signs of rustled grass, brown feathers, and his brother, clutching one of them in his hands.

_ “Reyson? Was someone just here?” _

_ “Tibarn … a hawk! I think he wants to be my friend, Rafiel!” _

Reyson beams ear to ear, jumping up and down,  _ “I don’t have any friends here ‘cept you! I think he was my age!” _

Rafiel smiles to hide the nervousness that grips him.  _ “I see. If he comes back again, I’d like to meet him for myself.” _

_ “Okay. I’ll yell your name really loudly!” _

Reyson tucks the feather into his circlet and then takes Rafiel’s hand,

_ “Meadow?” _

_ “Yes. I haven’t forgotten. Let us be off.” _

That was the day that Reyson fell in love with the future king of Phoenicis, though neither of them would know it for quite a long time.


	2. And so, we meet again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reyson makes a horrible decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY FOR THE DELAY!! My computer broke so finishing this has taken me quite a bit of time!

The next time that Tibarn and Reyson met, it was proper, and it was for business. They had both grown to young adults, properly awkward and uncertain. Reyson’s hair was not yet down to his back but it was getting there, resting against the back of his neck and fluffing around it. Tibarn on the other hand — his braid was done loosely and it traveled down to the middle of his shoulder blades, and it was decorated here and there with feathers, mementos of the battles he won. Castle Phoenicis was buzzing with activity and for good reason. Princess Leanne, Prince Reyson, and Prince Rafiel were on their way from Serenes so that Tibarn and the heron king could discuss the marriage between the newly crowned Hawk King and the young princess.  
Tibarn had grown into a man in barely any time at all. His shoulders had broadened, he’d lost the last of his downy child feathers, and now scars decorated his chest and his arms, making him don the signature bandages to not only make his punches sturdy, but to hide the bits of flesh that never quite healed right. In Beorc terms, he was eighteen — Nineteen, almost. Reyson was the same age, but where Tibarn had grown, the heron had stayed small and lithe, almost nimble. But in his eyes burned a hard determination to be his own person, his own man — To rely on no one but himself. His temper had settled in, and everyone knew of it. He was not the typical Heron Prince, for he spoke his mind openly, he did not hide behind sweet words or look for peaceful compromises. He despised his weak, delicate body, and did all he could to make himself stronger, even trying to take up magic in a futile attempt to at least be a little less defenseless.

  
It made him the outlier next to Leanne and Rafiel, but Reyson pretended not to care. He was proud of himself and of his lineage, and the sparks of passion in him burned white hot, searing the inside of his blood and making it boil from within. And so when he heard of his sister’s hand being bargained for like she was a valuable piece of property and not much else — Not her own thinking, autonomous person to take hold of — It angered him. It burned jealousy in the pit of his soul and sparked the white hot flames residing under the rest of his skin. The flight to castle Phoenicis was brief, and so all three Herons plus their father made it within a day. Their arrival was anticipated, but the conversation that Reyson had stored in his mind wasn’t. There was little fanfare or greeting when he stormed past Janaff and Ulki, Tibarn’s cronies, and directly up to the throne room to see the Hawk king himself.

  
Momentarily, when he set his piercing eyes upon the other man, he forgot his anger in admiration of his muscles, his strong jawline, his broad wingspan and the scars painted across his face and his arms. Breathless — From the flight, or from seeing Tibarn as a man, Reyson stood and caught the light of the door frame as the Hawk King sat up to greet him. He looked angelic, ethereal almost, with the way his feathery white wings curled against his back, the honey colored locks of hair brushing his pale, soft cheeks. Reyson could have sworn he saw Tibarn blush, but it was impossible to tell.  
“You!” He called, venomously, and shattered the image of angelic perfection that he’d built previously.  
Tibarn’s thick eyebrows rose in surprise as the Heron Prince approached, anger flashing in his spring green eyes, slender hands curled into fists. “You are not going to marry my sister, Hawk King! I will not allow it!”

  
It takes every bone in Janaff’s body not to wheeze out a laugh at the sight of his king being talked to so cheekily by the much smaller Laguz.

  
“Oh, really.” Tibarn asked, and the smoothness and rough tone of the hawk’s voice nearly made Reyson shudder. Did he have to be so handsome?

  
“And who is going to stop me, Prince Reyson?” His mouth rose into a smirk, and Reyson’s face flushed red with anger.  
“I am.” He answered without much of a second thought.

  
“By all means, your highness.” Tibarn stood, spreading his arms out wide, inviting the heron to come closer.

  
Janaff and Ulki stood nearby, just in case. They heard Reyson had been studying magic, and Tibarn was almost foolish for allowing him to make an open threat on his person. “If you want to take me on, then I won’t turn down your challenge. In fact, if you manage to beat me — I’ll call the whole thing off.”

  
Was he being mocked? Reyson rolled his sleeves up, wings puffing and a few of his baby downy feathers falling from his wings. “I’m going to make you regret that, Tibarn of Phoenicis.” He practically hissed before jumping at the Hawk, going for a strike to his chest —

  
And there is a noise, terrible and sharp. It is the noise of Reyson’s fist, coiled and heavy, striking Tibarn’s broad chest. His delicate bones snapping like twigs, crumbling under the rock hard muscle and rendering himself useless. Embarrassed — No, ashamed — Reyson’s eyes welled with tears as he heard Ulki and Janaff inhale sharply. Tibarn made no move to hit back, having clearly made his point. His wings smoothed, drew into himself.

  
“Take the prince to the infirmary,” He ordered quietly, Reyson just now noticing the concern in his brown eyes.  
“I don’t need you to!” He cried out, and turned heel, running out of the room. His determination … it was endearing. But, at the same time, reckless. “Hey — Wait!”

  
And Tibarn ran after him, not knowing what else to do. Janaff and Ulki shared a look. One that said: Did our King just fall for that plucky Heron?


	3. Proposal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Tibarn gets hurt, Reyson has time to think about the Hawk king’s question from earlier.

Tibarn curled a hand over his new wound, feeling the blood run down his thick fingers and gritting his teeth. That Beorc had hit hard, and he was seeing stars in his vision. 

_ “Tibarn!” _ Reyson called out, and he had to spare a pained smile for the Heron prince. 

“It’s okay, I’m … ugh …” They’d won the battle by the very least, so the new wound making his vision blur was to be expected. He felt Reyson’s hands on his chest, guiding him to sit down and get treated by a healer with a shock of red hair. The enemy’s lance had torn through his side and almost ended his life then and there. He felt his hand being moved aside, felt the magic sink in. The first thing he saw when his eyes refocused was Reyson’s worried face and the tears in his eyes, the feeling of the heron’s hands on his face. Soft, but not delicate. Tibarn grins at him, feeling dizzy.

“Sorry,” He manages, before the world goes dark. The last thing he hears before losing consciousness is Reyson calling his name.

——————

The last time they met before the tragedy that befell Serenes was when they were both adults, and Reyson’s hair fell to the small of his back. Tibarn’s had been cut short, which saved him a lot of injury in all the battles he’d been through. It was a warm day in Serenes when the Heron prince descended into the garden, brow furrowed and expression nothing short of angry. Tibarn was standing there, a large bandage over his ribs and his stomach, and a few more on his face. He looked exhausted, having been fighting tooth and nail to keep the title of Hawk King. The feeling of Reyson’s hand on his shoulder made the big laguz’ wings puff up in surprise as he slowly turned around, his surprised expression shortly becoming a smile.

“Well well, Prince Reyson. And to what do I owe this visit, huh?”

“Tibarn. Your Majesty, I heard that you almost died in the last scuffle. And that, you … after all the years of negotiation, you declined to marry Leanne after all. Why?”

Politics. Business. Tibarn sighs softly and winces, placing a hand over the wound that traveled across his chest and down towards his hip. It was going to leave a long scar, but he had plenty of those.

“Yeah. That’s what happens when you’re the undefeated king, other Laguz get competitive and try to kill you. As for your second question, Reyson … well … I didn’t think she’d be happy here. And my interest is in … someone else.”

Reyson felt his heart skip a beat. He felt nothing but sincerity in Tibarn’s heart. But who could he be talking about? “Is that right? Is there a Hawk you’d rather marry?”

“No, not a Hawk. Someone I’ve known for a really long time.” Tibarn drew himself a little closer, resting the back of his hand on Reyson’s cheek and watching him blush scarlet.

“I don’t think he likes me back, though.”

_He_?

Now his eyes met Tibarn’s. “Who would be foolish enough to refuse you, your Majesty?” His broad wings, his strong body, that surprisingly gentle rumble of his deep voice in his chest. His skin, scarred but warm and a rich brown, like his hair and eyes made Tibarn the most handsome man Reyson had ever seen.

“He’s pretty stubborn, and kind of grouchy. He’ll probably tell me I’m being an idiot about all of it.”

Reyson’s breath caught in his throat. There was no way … But again, there were no lies in Tibarn’s big heart. Reyson, without thinking, laid a hand against the Hawk king’s chest and felt the thud of it under his palm.

“... well, are you being an idiot about it?”

“Maybe so.” Tibarn was even closer now, and Reyson felt him stretch out and curl his wings over them. 

“It’s me, isn’t it?”

“It’s always been you.”

At the confession, Reyson pushes his face away, eyes wide. “You — you’re being an idiot ab — what do you mean  _ always _ me?”

Tibarn laughs, and then winces in pain from the feeling of his stitches moving. “I mean what I said! Check for yourself.”

“... you …” Now he tears up for another reason. “You are being sincere. There’s no malicious intent, but I — Tibarn, I …”

“Yeah?” The Hawk king asks, voice low and velvety, but still scratchy and rough like the rest of him. It made Reyson want to shudder.

“... it’s always been you for me, too.” He could feel how red his face and ears were burning. “Even when you do stupid things, like almost get yourself killed!” And now he reaches up, and tugs gently on one of Tibarn’s earlobes — The one without the earring.

And the Hawk king laughs, loudly, affectionately. “Okay, okay, I’m sorr — guh.” He laughed a little too much, from the sound of it. Blood starts to seep from his wounds, alarming Reyson to no end. 

“Stop laughing! I’m getting you to the infirmary!” And Tibarn allows himself to be pulled along, though not without stealing one gentle kiss against the Heron prince’s face and uttering an apology.

—————

Tibarn woke up to the feeling of Reyson running his hands through his hair and put a hand to his side instinctively. 

“You scared me,” Chided the blonde prince as they lay together in the tent Ike had provided for them. Sunlight was peeking through the seams and illuminating the hair on Reyson’s head, making him look ethereal. Tibarn reached up, resting his big hand on the prince’s cheek and smiling apologetically. “Sorry, baby. Did I pass out?”

“Yes. I thought you had died, but thankfully, one Beorc isn’t enough to take down the king of Phoenicis.”

Tibarn closed his eyes again, enjoying the sensation of Reyson playing with his hair.

“... and I thought about what you said.”

The Hawk king opens an eye.

“About marriage … and us.”

He opens both eyes.

“I think … I do want to marry you, Tibarn, king of Phoenicis. If you’ll have me as your husband, anyways.”

Tibarn’s face broke out into an elated expression as Reyson blushed a bright scarlet, turning his face away. “Are you kidding? That’s all I’ve wanted for the past thousand years!”

“Then …?”

“After the war is won, we’ll marry. In Phoenicis - And then I’ll help you rebuild Serenes. I swear it on my life, Reyson.”

Reyson smiled, a rarity that Tibarn had always cherished. He leaned down, pressing a soft but meaningful kiss on the brunette’s mouth as his hair fell over his shoulder, brushing against Tibarn’s neck.

“I can’t wait.”


End file.
